The time it doesn't take
Dentists often think completely differently to how patients think.The other evening I was talking to a lady over dinner who'd recently had a crown done by her dentist. I posed a simple question to her:"Let's imagine that there were 2 different techniques for doing crowns. Both produced crowns of identical quality but one technique took 30 minutes and one techniques took 90 minutes. Which one would you prefer?"The lady replied: "Are you being silly? Of course I'd prefer the 30 minute technique. In fact, I'd pay an extra $200 to have the 30 minute technique."This makes a mockery of what many dentists do and that is charge by time. Patients want their dental work done as fast as possible (consistent with good quality). Yet, many dentists charge more the longer they take and less the quicker they are.If you do continuing education and become more efficient at what you do, don't cut your fees. If anything you should put your fees up.Don't be embarrassed by the fact that you work efficiently. Celebrate it. Your patients do.